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Ituka scores 18 off the bench, Jacksonville State downs East Carolina 86-78Researchers at the University of Cambridge are close to recreating the movements of the world’s ... [+] first land animals. Over 390 million years ago, the ancestors of modern land animals said, “Feet before fins,” and took their first steps on earth. Today, a research team at the University of Cambridge is developing “paleo-inspired” robots that could retrace one of the most momentous events in the history of the living world. These robots will be inspired by the body structures and movement styles of ancient fish from the Late Devonian period—when their evolution began—as well as present day “walking fish” like mudskippers, according to an October 2024 review published in Science Robotics . With a more detailed study, the researchers hope to gain a better understanding of how early vertebrates might have taken their first steps onto solid ground. The ultimate objective is to understand how this pivotal shift from swimming to walking paved the way for the diverse land-dwelling species we see today, including ourselves. Deconstructing The Mechanics Of Evolution In Motion While the research sets some ambitious goals, it’s the latest in a series of groundbreaking robotics projects by the University of Cambridge’s Bio-Inspired Robotics Laboratory (BIRL). From developing a robot that builds its own tools with hot glue to optimizing potato farming with AI-powered automation, BIRL has been pushing the boundaries of what robots can achieve. Now, the team led by Professor Fumiya Iida is aspiring to dig deeper than ever before into one of life’s greatest evolutionary marvels: the first steps taken from water to land. The paleo-robots created by the lab’s team are no ordinary machines. Built using cutting-edge materials and robotics technologies, each robot is engineered to closely resemble the anatomy and biomechanics of early fish species. These robots are equipped to simulate movements and environmental interactions that ancient species may have experienced as they moved from aquatic to terrestrial habitats. Gmail Takeover Hack Attack—Google Warns You Have Just 7 Days To Act FBI Warns Smartphone Users—Hang Up And Create A Secret Word Now Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Saturday, December 7th By observing how the robots respond to various surfaces, the team can gather valuable data on locomotion mechanics. Researchers are particularly interested in how early fish might have altered their fin structures to develop a movement more suited for land. “We want to know things like how much energy different walking patterns would have required, or which movements were most efficient,” said Dr Michael Ishida, the lead author of the project at the University of Cambridge. Through these robots, the team at BIRL can observe such dynamics directly, studying how changes in fin positioning and body weight distribution could have influenced the evolution of limb-based walking. The focus on how paleo-robots move through different environments also addresses questions about the ecological obstacles that ancient species faced. BIRL’s approach allows its researchers to assess in real-time the environmental adaptations that might have been necessary for ancient fish to move out of the water and begin life on land. A Foray Beyond Fossils: Harnessing The Power Of Advanced Robotics The use of paleo-robots marks a bold departure from traditional methods of studying evolutionary biology. For decades, scientists have relied on fossil records and, more recently, computer simulations to make inferences about the mechanics of early vertebrate locomotion. Fossils provide critical information about the anatomy of ancient creatures but they’re mainly limited to the static snapshots of skeletal structure. Computer simulations add another layer, allowing researchers to simulate movements based on fossil structures. However, even these simulations would be restricted to the information gleaned from the fossils themselves. The paleo-robots from BIRL could bridge this gap with a dynamic, hands-on alternative. While fossils and simulations offer snapshots, paleo-robots would be able to present a full-length documentary, allowing researchers to “watch” how these creatures might have walked. Having physical models to study would give the researchers real-time data on movement dynamics. They could tweak and test anatomical configurations in ways that fossils or simulations alone simply cannot. Through these physical robots, the team at BIRL could easily fine-tune variables such as body weight distribution, fin angle and ground resistance, creating an interactive model that yields tangible insights. Employing Biorobotics For A Better Future Thanks to the efforts of researchers like those at BIRL, bioengineering and biorobotics are bringing the future—and the promise of a better world—closer to our lives today. While bioengineering efforts are close to bringing animals like the Tasmanian tiger or the woolly mammoth back from the dead, biorobotics experiments are aimed at tackling future challenges on earth and beyond. Today, biorobotics thrives as an area of pioneering innovation, promising game-changing applications across space exploration, resource management and sustainable engineering. For example, Resilient Bio-inspired Modular Robotic Miners , or the ROBOMINERS project, is an EU-funded endeavor under the Horizon 2020 program. The project is aimed at developing bio-inspired modular robotic miners to transform the way we access valuable underground mineral deposits. Conventional mining methods often overlook smaller or hard-to-reach deposits due to high extraction costs and limited feasibility. ROBOMINERS is designed to change this paradigm, focusing on “non-economical” mineral deposits that would otherwise remain untouched. Breaking the conventional mold, researchers at Princeton and North Carolina State University are rethinking how robots can move with a hyper-flexible origami robot, according to a December 2023 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . A product of soft robotics—where designs are inspired by nature—this robot is made up of a series of folding cylinders that allow it to move much like the caterpillar that inspires its form. With this, researchers hope to build robots that can adopt better to their surroundings and deliver more efficient results as they go. When it comes to swarm robotics, “All for one and one for all,” seems to be the strategy of choice. At least that’s what the researchers from European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Centre for Genomic Regulation and Bristol Robotics Laboratory did to unite hundreds of swarm robots and form bio-inspired shapes. With over 300 robots working together, the team programmed each of them with qualities of self-organization and self-repair to ensure they maintained their form and interacted efficiently with their neighbors. With the results published in Science Robotics , the team hopes this swarm behavior can be scaled further and adopted for real-world applications like aiding recovery efforts after natural disasters. As biorobotics continues to evolve, the projects at the University of Cambridge’s Bio-Inspired Robotics Laboratory and elsewhere demonstrate the transformative potential of this field. The promise of biorobotics lies in its ability to take cues from nature to solve contemporary issues, blending evolutionary wisdom with technological precision. These projects not only highlight how much we can learn from the biological world but also set a new standard for what robotics can achieve in fields as varied as environmental conservation, sustainable resource management and space exploration. Understanding how ancient fish evolved to walk on land reminds us how movement, behavior and adaptation shape every species—including our own pets. Curious about what your pet’s instincts might say about their place in nature’s grand story? Take our Pet Personality Test to uncover the hidden traits that make them unique.
By Kaley Brown Another free agent who had been linked to the Red Sox this offseason is off the board. Shortstop Willy Adames reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $182 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Boston had been connected to the 29-year-old since the beginning of free agency. Last week, USA Today ’s Bob Nightengale reported that the Red Sox scheduled a meeting with Adames, adding that Boston had “strong interest” in him. The team is publicly in the market for a right-handed hitter, and Adames would have fit the bill. While the Red Sox don’t have a hole at shortstop, the often-injured Trevor Story currently occupies the position. Story has struggled to stay healthy since signing with Boston in 2022, playing in just 163 games over three seasons. On paper, it makes sense that the club would be doing its due diligence regarding who’s available on the market at SS. Additionally, aside from the shakeup at shortstop the acquisition of Adames would have caused, the move would have certainly had an effect on the rest of the infield. Adames is reportedly open to playing third base, which could have shifted the Red Sox’ star third baseman Rafael Devers away from the hot corner. Nightengale reported that Boston had “internally discussed moving Rafael Devers off third base” within his Adames reporting. If Devers had ultimately been moved from third base as a result of the hypothetical move, the organization could have opted to make him the team’s designated hitter or first baseman. The latter would have almost certainly prompted the Red Sox to attempt to trade first baseman Triston Casas, who has emerged as an exciting young player on the club. It’s hard to know if such a tectonic mix-up in the infield would have been the right move for Boston at this point in time. The team’s big-league roster is filled with a plethora of young, promising players, as well as within their minor league system. It feels like the Red Sox have been putting their trust in the kids in recent years, so moving on from Casas with the intention of upgrading another position would have been a head-scratcher. Regardless, with Adames officially off the market, that leaves the baseball world one move closer to finding out which team Juan Soto signs with. Boston is reportedly still in the running for the generational talent as of Saturday night. Sign up for Red Sox updates⚾ Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during baseball season. Be civil. Be kind.
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NoneREYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders will elect a new parliament Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call early elections. This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggest the country may be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. Iceland, a nation of about 400,000 people, is proud of its democratic traditions, describing itself as arguably the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. The island’s parliament, the Althingi, was founded in 930 by the Norsemen who settled the country. Here’s what to look for in the contest. How does the election work? Voters will choose 63 members of the Althingi in an election that will allocate seats both by regional constituencies and proportional representation. Parties need at least 5% of the vote to win seats in parliament. Eight parties were represented in the outgoing parliament, and 10 parties are contesting this election. Turnout is traditionally high by international standards, with 80% of registered voters casting ballots in the 2021 parliamentary election. Why now? A windswept island near the Arctic Circle, Iceland normally holds elections during the warmer months of the year. But on Oct. 13 Benediktsson decided his coalition couldn’t last any longer, and he asked President Halla Tómasdóttir to dissolve the Althingi. “The weakness of this society is that we have no very strong party and we have no very strong leader of any party,’’ said Vilhjálmur Bjarnson, a former member of parliament. “We have no charming person with a vision ... That is very difficult for us.” Why is Iceland’s politics so fractured? The splintering of Iceland’s political landscape came after the 2008 financial crisis, which prompted years of economic upheaval after its debt-swollen banks collapsed. The crisis led to anger and distrust of the parties that had traditionally traded power back and forth, and prompted the creation of new parties ranging from the environment focused Left-Green Alliance to the Pirate Party, which advocates direct democracy and individual freedoms. “This is one of the consequences of the economic crash,’’ said Eva H. Önnudóttir, a professor of political science at the University of Iceland. “It’s just the changed landscape. Parties, especially the old parties, have maybe kind of been hoping that we would go back to how things were before, but that’s not going to happen.” What are the issues? Like many Western countries, Iceland has been buffeted by the rising cost of living and immigration pressures. Inflation peaked at an annual rate of 10.2% in February 2023, fueled by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While inflation slowed to 5.1% in October, that is still high compared with neighboring countries. The U.S. inflation rate stood at 2.6% last month, while the European Union’s rate was 2.3%. Iceland is also struggling to accommodate a rising number of asylum-seekers, creating tensions within the small, traditionally homogenous country. The number of immigrants seeking protection in Iceland jumped to more than 4,000 in each of the past three years, compared with a previous average of less than 1,000. What about the volcano? of a volcano in the southwestern part of the country have displaced thousands of people and strained public finances. One year after the first eruption forced the evacuation of the town of Grindavik, many residents still don’t have secure housing, leading to complaints that the government has been slow to respond. But it also added to a shortage of affordable housing exacerbated by Iceland’s tourism boom. Young people are struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder at a time when short-term vacation rentals have reduced the housing stock available for locals, Önnudóttir said. “The housing issue is becoming a big issue in Iceland,” she said. —— Kirka reported from London. Marco Di Marco And Danica Kirka, The Associated Press‘The Wild Robot’ Composer Kris Bowers & Songwriter Maren Morris On Recreating The “Diegetic Sounds In Nature” & The “Bitter-Sweetness” Of Writing “Kiss The Sky”
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Inflation is predicted to average 2.5% this year and 2.6% next year, according to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The British Medical Association said the Government showed a “poor grasp” of unresolved issues from two years of industrial action, and the Royal College of Nursing called the pay recommendation “deeply offensive”. The National Education Union’s chief said teachers were “putting the Government on notice” that the proposed increase “won’t do”. The pay recommendations came after Chancellor Rachel Reeves called for every Government department to cut costs by 5%, as she started work on a sweeping multi-year spending review to be published in 2025. Independent pay review bodies will consider the proposals for pay rises for teachers, NHS workers and senior civil servants. The Department of Health said it viewed 2.8% as a “reasonable amount” to set aside, in its recommendations to the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Board remit groups. A 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025/26 would “maintain the competitiveness of teachers’ pay despite the challenging financial backdrop the Government is facing”, the Department for Education said. The Cabinet Office also suggested pay increases for senior civil servants should be kept to no more than 2.8%. Paul Johnson, director of the influential economics think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said it was “not a bad ballpark figure” and feels “just about affordable” given the Government’s public spending plans. The downside, he said, is that public sector workers have lost out since 2010 and unions will be upset that this is not making up the gap, he told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge. “But given the constraints facing the Chancellor I think it’s pretty hard to argue for more for public sector pay when public sector services ... are under real strain,” he said. Unions expressed their disappointment in the recommendations, with some hinting they could be willing to launch industrial action. The Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive called for “open direct talks now” to avoid “further escalation to disputes and ballots”. Professor Nicola Ranger said: “The Government has today told nursing staff they are worth as little as £2 extra a day, less than the price of a coffee. “Nursing is in crisis – there are fewer joining and too many experienced professionals leaving. This is deeply offensive to nursing staff, detrimental to their patients and contradictory to hopes of rebuilding the NHS. “The public understands the value of nursing and they know that meaningful reform of the NHS requires addressing the crisis in nursing. “We pulled out of the Pay Review Body process, alongside other unions, because it is not the route to address the current crisis. “That has been demonstrated today. “Fair pay must be matched by structural reform. Let’s open direct talks now and avoid further escalation to disputes and ballots – I have said that directly to government today.” Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of the British Medical Association’s council, urged the sector’s pay review body to “show it is now truly independent”. “For this Government to give evidence to the doctors’ and dentists’ pay review body (DDRB) believing a 2.8% pay rise is enough, indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action,” he said. He said the proposal is far below the current rate of inflation and that the Government was “under no illusion” when doctors accepted pay offers in the summer that there was a “very real risk of further industrial action” if “pay erosion” was not addressed in future pay rounds. “This sub-inflationary suggestion from the current Government serves as a test to the DDRB. “The BMA expects it to take this opportunity to show it is now truly independent, to take an objective view of the evidence it receives from all parties, not just the Government, and to make an offer that reflects the value of doctors’ skills and expertise in a global market, and that moves them visibly further along the path to full pay restoration.” The NEU’s general secretary, Daniel Kebede, said teachers’ pay had been cut by more than one-fifth in real terms since 2010. “Along with sky-high workload, the pay cuts have resulted in a devastating recruitment and retention crisis. Teacher shortages across the school system hit pupils and parents too. “A 2.8% increase is likely to be below inflation and behind wage increases in the wider economy. This will only deepen the crisis in education.” In a hint that there could be a return to industrial action he added: “NEU members fought to win the pay increases of 2023 and 2024. “We are putting the Government on notice. Our members care deeply about education and feel the depth of the crisis. This won’t do.” The offer for teachers is the “exact opposite of fixing the foundations” and will result in bigger class sizes and more cuts to the curriculum, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The inadequacy of the proposed pay award is compounded by the Government’s intention that schools should foot the bill out of their existing allocations. “Given that per-pupil funding will increase on average by less than 1% next year, and the Government’s proposal is for an unfunded 2.8% pay award, it is obvious that this is in fact an announcement of further school cuts.” Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: This recommendation falls far short of what is needed to restore the competitiveness of the teaching profession, to enable it to retain experienced professionals and attract new talent. Unison head of health Helga Pile said: “The Government has inherited a financial mess from its predecessors, but this is not what NHS workers wanted to hear. “Staff are crucial in turning around the fortunes of the NHS. Improving performance is a key Government pledge, but the pay rise proposed is barely above the cost of living.”RICHMOND, Va. , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV) ("Universal" or the "Company"), a global business-to-business agriproducts company, today announced that, as expected, on November 19, 2024 , it received a notice (the "NYSE Notice") from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") that the Company is not in compliance with Section 802.01E of the NYSE Listed Company Manual as a result of its failure to timely file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2024 (the "Form 10-Q") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") prior to November 18, 2024 , the end of the extension period provided by Rule 12b -25 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The NYSE Notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company's common stock on the NYSE. The NYSE Notice informed the Company that, under NYSE rules, the Company has six months from November 18, 2024 , to regain compliance with the NYSE listing standards by filing the Form 10-Q with the SEC. If the Company fails to file the Form 10-Q within the six-month period, the NYSE may grant, in its sole discretion, an extension of up to six additional months for the Company to regain compliance, depending on the specific circumstances. The NYSE Notice also noted that the NYSE may nevertheless, in its own discretion, commence delisting proceedings at any time during such period. As previously disclosed in the Company's Notification of Late Filing on Form 12b-25, filed on November 12, 2024 (the "Form 12b-25") with the SEC, the Company was unable to file the Form 10-Q on a timely basis due to an ongoing internal investigation. As a result of the additional time required to complete its internal investigation, the process of finalizing financial statements for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 could not be completed on a timely basis. The Company is committed to completing a deliberate, thorough investigation while diligently working to fulfill all reporting obligations and currently expects to file the Form 10-Q within the six-month period granted by the NYSE Notice; however, there can be no assurance that the Form 10-Q will be filed within such period. About Universal Corporation Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) is a global agricultural company with over 100 years of experience supplying products and innovative solutions to meet our customers' evolving needs and precise specifications. Through our diverse network of farmers and partners across more than 30 countries on five continents, we are a trusted provider of high-quality, traceable products. We leverage our extensive supply chain expertise, global reach, integrated processing capabilities, and commitment to sustainability to provide a range of products and services designed to drive efficiency and deliver value to our customers. For more information, visit www.universalcorp.com . CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Among other things, these statements include statements regarding expectations about the Company's filing of its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 . These forward-looking statements are generally identified by the use of words such as we "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "could," "should," "may," "plan," "will," "predict," "estimate," and similar expressions or words of similar import. These forward-looking statements are based upon management's current knowledge and assumptions about future events and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any anticipated results, prospects, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the uncertainty of the ultimate findings of the ongoing internal investigation, as well as the timing of its completion and costs and expenses arising out of the ongoing internal investigation process and its results; the impact of the ongoing internal investigation on us, our management and operations, including financial impact as well as any litigation or regulatory action that may arise from the ongoing internal investigation; the impact of the internal investigation on our conclusions regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures; our ability to regain compliance with NYSE listing requirements; success in pursuing strategic investments or acquisitions and integration of new businesses and the impact of these new businesses on future results; product purchased not meeting quality and quantity requirements; our reliance on a few large customers; our ability to maintain effective information technology systems and safeguard confidential information; anticipated levels of demand for and supply of our products and services; costs incurred in providing these products and services including increased transportation costs and delays attributed to global supply chain challenges; timing of shipments to customers; higher inflation rates; changes in market structure; government regulation and other stakeholder expectations; economic and political conditions in the countries in which we and our customers operate, including the ongoing impacts from international conflicts; product taxation; industry consolidation and evolution; changes in exchange rates and interest rates; impacts of regulation and litigation on its customers; industry-specific risks related to its plant-based ingredient businesses; exposure to certain regulatory and financial risks related to climate change; changes in estimates and assumptions underlying our critical accounting policies; the promulgation and adoption of new accounting standards, new government regulations and interpretation of existing standards and regulations; and general economic, political, market, and weather conditions. Actual results, therefore, could vary from those expected. Please also refer to such other factors as discussed in Part I, Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of Universal's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 , and related disclosures in other filings which have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . All risk factors and uncertainties described herein and therein should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements, and all of the forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein and therein. Universal cautions investors not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements as these statements speak only as of the date when made, and it undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made, except as required by law. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/universal-corporation-receives-nyse-notice-regarding-filing-of-form-10-q-for-the-fiscal-quarter-ended-september-30-2024-302314579.html SOURCE Universal Corporation
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